Some officials assisting with the land reform public hearings have received abusive phone calls.
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123RF/Helen Filatova

Some officials helping the parliamentary joint constitutional review committee considering the expropriation of land without compensation have been racially abused.

Parliament said in a statement on Friday that officials had received “verbally abusive and racist phone calls”.

The officials can identify the details of some calls and will report the matter to the police.

“Several officials currently travelling with the committee‚ whose mobile phone numbers have been made public to assist with media liaison and public mobilisation‚ have complained of receiving racist insults and other abuse from callers‚” the statement read.

“Parliamentary officials are always willing to assist members of the public and the media to ensure a meaningful‚ transparent and open public participation process. In this regard‚ we denounce any abuse from disgruntled individuals on these platforms‚ as they have been created to ensure the free flow of information on parliamentary processes.”

The committee was instructed by the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces to investigate whether a review of section 25 of the Constitution‚ and other clauses‚ was necessary for the state to be able to expropriate land without compensation.

The public hearings kicked off in Springbok‚ Northern Cape on Tuesday.